Emil Wojcik
1702
Black "rubies"...
...would more accurately be described as black sapphires.
Rubies and sapphires are chemically the same mineral (corundum), with different impurities giving them color (red corundum is ruby, all other colors are sapphire). Black sapphires are actually very common in nature and just as easy to produce synthetically as rubies.
So when creating them for use in a watch, it would be a simple request to have them manufactured with the correct "impurity" to give it the black color instead of the standard red.
And I agree, using black jewels in this watch is a very nice detail.
Emil
US pop star got one-of-a-kind timepiece created by Grieb & Benzinger
The masters of skeletonized watches have once again fulfilled the horological dreams of clients by producing a new special model within the BENZINGER BOUTIQUE collection by GRIEB & BENZINGER. The BLACK TULIP is a fully masculine version of the legendary s...
A very unique piece indeed!
Huge congrats to whoever that star is! Thanks for the news too Anths! Stephen
A classy combination of colours
Even with blackened rubies - I wonder how they do that? Impressed. Andrew
I am going to have to check ...
... my copy of Daniels Watchmaking to see if that's the traditional method, Tom! Is that what they teach in watch making 101?! A
Black "rubies"...
...would more accurately be described as black sapphires. Rubies and sapphires are chemically the same mineral (corundum), with different impurities giving them color (red corundum is ruby, all other colors are sapphire). Black sapphires are actually very...
Black ruby making....
A short telephone call to Mr. Benzinger and the mystery is over. The rubies stay in place when the bridges and plates are coated with black PVD. Then the black PVD coating is removed from the active surfaces of the jewels by honing. Actually pretty simple...
PVD coated rubies??? That's cheating!
Well, I'm sure that makes a lot more sense then ordering such a small number of custom created black sapphires. Very interesting. Thanks for the info. Emil